The Hindu : Jayapradha discharged from I-T cases

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 26, 2004

National

National

Jayapradha discharged from I-T cases

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 25. An economic offences court in Chennai has discharged the actress and former Member of Parliament, Jayapradha, from a series of cases launched against her under the Income Tax Act, after the department allowed her to remit a compounding fee of Rs. 49.77 lakhs along with the tax arrears.

Originally, the Income Tax department had launched a prosecution against her in 1985 for offences (attempt to evade tax and filing of false verification in returns) in respect of assessment years 1980-91 to 1984-85.

Another prosecution was launched in 1993 for similar offences in respect of the assessment year 1985-86.

As the trial was proceeding before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Economic Offences — I, Chennai, Ms. Jayapradha moved petitions for compounding of the offences under the Income Tax Act, which were duly processed.

A compounding fee of Rs. 33.50 lakhs, in the first case and Rs.16.26 lakhs under the second case were determined. The actress gave her willingness to pay the amounts determined.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes in July 2003 approved the compounding of the offence subject to the condition that she pay the two fee amounts along with all the arrears of tax, interest and penalty under the Income Tax Act and the Wealth Tax Act.

After she remitted the amount, P.K. Sridharan, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax-II, Chennai, using powers vested in him under Sec.279 (2) of the Act, compounded the offence.

The development was conveyed to the trial magistrate by the Senior Special Public Prosecutor for Income Tax cases, K. Ramasamy, who also moved a petition under Sec.321 of the Cr.P.C for withdrawing the complaint against the actress.

The Additional CMM E.O-I, M. Velu, accepted the petition and discharged Ms. Jayapradha, from all the cases.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National